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Abarca Revolutionizes Pharmacy Benefit Management

Abarca, a pharmacy benefit manager renowned for its innovative approach, has recently unveiled two groundbreaking programs: Better Balance and Better Access. These initiatives aim to redefine the way pharmacy benefits are managed, addressing critical issues like rising specialty drug costs and the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases. This development signifies a strategic advancement in how pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) can provide savings and support comprehensive healthcare solutions.

The Rise of Better Balance

One of the main highlights of Abarca’s new offerings is Better Balance, a program created in collaboration with AI health technology pioneer, Welldoc. This innovative clinical program is targeted at restoring cardiometabolic homeostasis for conditions such as diabetes, obesity, and hypertension, including GLP-1 therapy management. By amalgamating Welldoc's AI-driven digital health platform with Abarca's real-time clinical decision-making tools, Better Balance enables proactive and personalized support for members.
This enhanced support system can significantly improve medication adherence, medication choices, and foster healthier daily behaviors. Consequently, this coordinated model can directly impact the effectiveness of key quality measures like STAR and HEDIS, ensuring members receive timely interventions that are tailored to their needs.

The objective of Better Balance is to help members manage their health conditions more effectively while significantly reducing the overall cost of care. Through initiatives such as targeted outreach, continuous biometric monitoring, and prompt clinical interventions, the program aims for improved member outcomes. This also translates to fewer emergency visits and hospitalizations, ultimately leading to a lower overall expenditure on healthcare.

Introducing Better Access

The second component of Abarca’s innovation strategy is Better Access, an evolved suite of solutions aimed at enhancing the member experience in pharmacy fulfillment. Better Access reimagines how a modern pharmacy should operate and deliver services to its members. With key partnerships with companies like Free Market Health, which specializes in streamlining the specialty pharmacy ecosystem, Abarca aims to provide an efficient and affordable pharmacy experience.

The collaboration with Free Market Health allows for a smooth treatment process from prescription to dispense, creating a smoother, member-centric experience. Other partnerships, particularly with Amazon Pharmacy—known for their reliable home delivery—bolster Abarca’s commitment to member-first care solutions.
These initiatives entail leveraging technology to increase access to lower-cost treatment options through channels like home delivery while also enhancing transparency in drug pricing. Better Access specializes in optimizing where and how prescriptions are filled, ultimately increasing members’ choice, control, and ease of management regarding their medications.

Additionally, it helps healthcare payers lower specialty drug expenditures by deploying smarter, data-informed strategies without disrupting patient care continuity, paving the way for a more streamlined pharmacy ecosystem.

A Commitment to Innovation

The introduction of Better Balance and Better Access marks a significant leap in Abarca’s ongoing mission to modernize pharmacy benefit management. The overarching goal of the Better Care solutions is to transform pharmacy benefits into a system that reduces costs, enhances clinical outcomes, and elevates the member experience.

These new programs are a crucial extension of Abarca's existing solutions, all of which highlight the company’s commitment to ushering in a new age of pharmacy benefit innovation. Along with foundational programs like Better Target, which utilizes advanced predictive analytics for more effective medication therapy management, and Better Path, which optimizes prior authorization processes, Abarca is positioning itself to lead the future of pharmacy benefit management.

Javier Gonzalez, Pharm.D., President of PBM Commercial Strategy at Abarca, articulated this shift, highlighting that modern pharmacy benefit management transcends traditional roles to focus on delivering better care outcomes and overall costs. The introduction of Better Balance and Better Access denotes not just the launch of new services, but a comprehensive transformation in both clinical capabilities and service delivery.

As Abarca continues to evolve into a health-intelligence organization, its Better Care solutions will be crucial in offering scalable, innovative, and human-centered healthcare outcomes that will benefit not just the members but the healthcare ecosystem at large.

Conclusion

Abarca's unveiling of Better Balance and Better Access illustrates a forward-thinking approach to pharmacy benefit management, challenging conventional models and fostering innovation. With these initiatives, Abarca strives to create a more intelligent and compassionate healthcare system, paving the way for improved patient outcomes and experiences across their platforms.